Fire escape apparatus for aerial ladder trucks



Aug. 7, 1945.

FIRE ESCAPE APPARATUS F 'OR A IAL LADDER TRUCK Filed July 21, 194.3ZISheets-Sheet 1 air/60d 0 [/Waad 14. b. zLwbn 2,381,812 I Aug, 7, 1945.H. D. ELWROOD 2,381,812

FIRE ESCAPE APPARATUS FOR AERIAL LADDER TRUCK Filed Jul 21; 1945 2Sheets-Sheet 2 27 I /33 33 INVENTOR. HAQLAND 0. awo oo HIS ATTOENPatented Aug. 1945 ings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of adevice, embodybers l3 and I4 mat a ssnsiz L, ,j ie hiss (015,227,539)

'I'his invention relates to fireescape apparatus and -particularly to afirewscape chute and means for mounting it totheladder-of an aerial Iladder-fire truck-.--

I -An object of the invention is' to provide a.

flexible fire escape chute, which can 'be mounted at the endofan'aerial; ladder, and-ean' be pr-ojected; outwardly and'upwardlyfmm thefire secured in place. The members is and 14 are :each made ofstrapmetal:fnrrned as shown in Fig. 2, and reinforced by. vhollow tubing struts'15,:whicharesecured in place by welding or other suitable means'. The:side members-i3 and 14' (Fig. 2) are provided with U shaped brackets l1and I8, which are adaptedto respectively antruck to a roof, window, orother opening in a 2 building, so that persons may be evacuated rapidlyfrom different parts of the building without the necessity of having therescuers'enter' I the building.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a fire escape chutewhich may be readily attached to a conventional aerial laddenwithout outmaking any changes to the ladder.

A further object of the invention is the provision ofa flexible chutewhich is provided with reinforcing means adapted'to cooperate with therounds of a ladder to support the chute when the same is in use. a

The foregoing and other objects and advantages oi the invention willappear as the description proceeds, reference being made to the draw ingmy invention in carrying position on an aerial ladder, which is mountedon a ladder truck not shown.

Fig. 2 is aperspective View of the chute sup-- porting frame showninFig. 1, with the'chute removed and detached from the ladder.

Fig.3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail, partly in section,,taken'substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

gage the rungs 2| of the ladder ll (Fig. 1). In securing the frame 9 inposition on the ladder l I, the brackets I8 are first hooked over therung '20, and the brackets H are then set in position over the rung l9so that the frame 9 rests thereon of its own weight.

Inasmuch as the working forces are always downward the frame 9 cannot bedislodged from the ladder H, without reversing the operations justdescribed. Each side member 13 and I4 is provided along its upper edgewith a hook or bracket 22 which is adapted to engage the hand 1 rail 23of the ladder II. Each sidemember I3 and I4 is also provided with chutesupporting members 24 and 25. The members 24 are preferably ringstowhich the chute chains 26, supporting the cables 21, are attached andthe members 25 are U-shaped members adapted'to engage the rod 28, whichpasses through a tunnel 29 formed at the upper end of the bottom of thechute I0. The rod 28 is prevented from being displaced from the members25 by the dogs 30 which are pivoted as at 3| (Fig. 3).

The chute In is similar in construction to my I improved flexible chutedisclosed in my co-pend- Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the chutein position on the ladder.

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 4. e

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of a ladder truck on which is mountedan extension ladder equipped with my device and ready for use.

Referringnow more particularly to the drawings (Figs. 1 and 2) it willbe understood that in the embodiment herein disclosed my inventionresides in a. special chute supportingframe 9, and. a chute l0,which areadapted to be mounted on an aerial ladder ll, which is carried in theusual manner on. a firetruck 12 (Fig. 6). i I

The chute supporting frame 9 (Figs. 1 and 2) ispreferably made with twovertical'side memheld in'spaced relation by tie members I5} which maybewelded or. otherwise ing application S. N. 495613, filed July 21, 1 943,but in this embodiment the chute I0 is provided with a'double bottom IAand 1013 (Fig, 5) between which are carried a plurality of stiffabutting panels 32 made of aplywood or other suitable material. Thepanels 32 are of such size and so placed that each panel covers tworungs 33 of the ladder II. This provides a continuous smooth surface tothe bottom of the chute l0, when it is in position for use} and permitsa human being to slide down the chute I0 without feeling theirregularities of the ladder II which supports it. By the same token thechute may be folded with case.

In use thelaerial ladder is carried and projected in the conventionalmanner as shown in 6, in which the wall of a building is indicated at34. The chute 10 may be left attached-to the ladder I I or it may becarried separately and. attached at the scene of action. As the ladderII is projected outwardly and upwardly the chute l0 is unfolded asrequired.

l9.- and ill of. upper section Ladder men or other attendants on theground may handle the lower endof the chute as described in myco-pending application referred to above.

Having described my invention, what I'claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. The combination with an aerial ladder, of

a flexible chute,. and means for mounting the chute to the ladder,'t hesaid chute mounting means comprising a frame secured to the rounds ofthe ladder, said frame having side members Y.

extending beyond the end of the ladder, and said side members havingmeansfor'supporting the sides of the flexible chute.

2. The combination with an aerial ladder, of a flexible chute, and meansfor mounting the chute t0 the ladder, the flexible chute being providedwith a plurality of flat rigid reinforcing members in its bottom, saidreinforcing members being arranged to ride on the rounds ofcloSedwithinlthe layers of material comprising a flexible chute, andmeans for mounting the chute to the ladder, the flexible chute beingprovided with a plurality of flat rigid panels enclosed within thelayers of material comprising the bottom of the chute, said panels beingpositioned end to end, and each panel being of sufficient length tocover at least two rounds of the ladder.

5. The combination with an aerial ladder, of a frame for attaching aflexible chute, said frame having members adapted to engage the roundsof the ladder and brackets for engaging the side rails of the ladder. Y

6. The combination defined in claim 5 in which the said frame isprovided with means to lock the frame to the ladder, and side memberswhich overhang the end of the ladder, the said side members beingprovided with means to support the sides of a flexible chute.

7.. The combination with an aerial ladder of a frame, means to securesaid frame to the ladder, :and a flexiblechute secured to said frame andextending along said ladder, said chute having a plurality of rigidpanels secured in itsbottom, each of said panels being adapted to coverat least, two rounds of said ladder to eifect a continuous, smoothsurface. t

l HARLAND D. ELWOOD.

